FEVERISH When all systems research trips, no FEMINISMS IS ON: failed, we turned feminist events in FACEBOOK: to social media to Chellis. We want https://bit.ly/2zWHIfi get the words out, to acknowledge all TWITTER: to consider how https://bit.ly/2AF20Ke that we have lost. feminism could But we also want to INSTAGRAM respond to this crisis. https://bit.ly/30k1nAe remind you that we A more feminist, are in this together. LETTER FROM THE more socially just, more If you have an idea to DIRECTORS sustainable future is not share, an internship to post, only possible, but mandatory. We or just want to be reminded that SPRING 2020 will not survive this pandemic or we will get through this, do not whatever comes after if we cannot hesitate to reach out to us. There are times when words all figure out how to put people are nearly meaningless, and community first. We hope you when the only thing that matters will join us in posting, creating Karin Hanta is embodied action. There are poetry for, and generally helping Director of Chellis House times when words are all we have. keep us all focused on feminist As we write to this you, months world-making. Laurie Essig into the Global Pandemic, having We also hope you enjoy this Director of the Program in just passed 100,000 deaths in the newsletter as it considers our Gender, Sexuality, and US and 350,000 worldwide, we recent feminist past and all that we Feminist Studies have nothing left to say and yet the were able to achieve. The way the beautiful, hopeful and resilient pandemic has stopped the work words of feminism are all we have. we were doing is devastating —no As we write this to you, there is in person classes, no graduation a rebellion against police brutality reception where we got to hug our against Black people and systemic graduates and wish them well, no racism happening around the US and the world. Words are not enough. We must put our bodies on the line too. But words create Corona Responses the possibilities of mourning and TABLE OF Mutual Aid in Times change. “Say their names” “I can’t of Covid-19, p. 12 breathe” “Black Lives Matter.” CONTENTS Recent Faculty We had planned for our annual Achievements, p. 13 Gensler Family Symposium to Cheryl Faraone Directs explore “Feminist World Making Before Times Her Last Show, p. 14 at the End of the World,” but we E A Zoom Dance Party for the 2020 H never got to hear about the tools Jane: Abortion and the Underground OC and theories and activisms that During J-Term, p. 2 Feminists of the Year, p. 16 R A could help us face this moment Wikipedia Edit-A-Thon Onwards T L and also help us imagine how we for International A Women’s Day, p . 4 C can build the world anew. Instead, 2019 and 2020 BY we have had to come up with our Feminist Pedagogy Workshop Gensler Prize Winners, p. 19 K own words, our own images, and During J-Term, p. 4 2019 and 2020 R O our own ideas for feminist world- LA Theatre Works Fraker Prizes, p. 23 W Presents Seven, p. 5 T making. Paula Schwartz Joins the R A That’s why the Program in Las Nietas de Nonó, p. 7 Resistance Again!, p. 25 D N Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Gender and Right-Wing Populism in May Belle Chellis Reaches Us Through A T Studies and the Feminist Resource Western Europe, p. 9 the Ages, p. 27 U O Center at Chellis House began Emily Bernard at Middlebury, p. 11 Hope in Times of Despair: Considering Y A Lesbians in Russia with Professor Laurie the Feverish Feminisms project. L Essig, p. 30 2 ABOVE: The cast of Jane, with Professor Carly Thomsn and Director Taite Shomo in the front row. Jane: Abortion and the Underground during J-Term During the 2020 J-term, Professor Carly Thomsen’s GSFS 203 “Performing Reproductive almost three dozen students came to support Politics” class staged a production of Paula Taite and Dr. Thomsen by working on set and Kamen’s Jane: Abortion and the Underground costume design. The majority of the students at Middlebury College. The goal of the intensive neither had prior experience with theater nor four week course was two-fold: to learn about had taken courses in Gender, Sexuality, and how Feminist and Queer Studies can be used in Feminist Studies. The composition of the course the service of abortion justice and also to stage was as one of its strengths, enabling interesting a production that would allow students to move conversations and possibilities for collaboration. their conversations beyond the classroom. The The play tells the story of the Jane Collective, idea originated with Taite Shomo ’20.5, a Gender, an underground abortion referral network Sexuality, and Feminist Studies and Art History operating out of Chicago. A bit of a historical joint major. After taking Dr. Thomsen’s Politics background: Until Roe v. Wade was decided in of Reproduction course in fall 2018 and feeling 1973, abortion was illegal in the United States. inspired by Annika Speer’s article “The Feminist Despite this, women had abortions—and at Potential of Docudrama” about the political and rates similar to today. Some self-aborted, while epistemological possibilities of staging Jane, she others terminated their pregnancies with help asked Dr. Thomsen whether she could direct the from licensed doctors or even non-professionals. play during J-term. The class was approved and 3 In 1969, Heather Booth, a University of Chicago student, founded the Jane Collective. This group consisted of Chicago housewives and students and started out as a referral service for women seeking abortions, but eventually grew into a network that provided counseling, abortion services, and in some cases, childcare to women of all races and socio-economic statuses. Women found out about the collective by word of mouth or advertisements in newspapers that read “Need Help? Call Jane.” In 1971, members of the collective learned that one of their doctors was not licensed, though he had been performing up to 20 abortions a day. Soon ABOVE: (from left) Elissa Asch, Alex Myers, and Maddi Stow after, members of the collective performing in Jane. taught themselves to perform abortions, which cut costs from up to $1000—equivalent find all the academic and journalistic articles to $6,500 today—to approximately $100. that the class discussed to prepare for the Performing the abortions themselves allowed production. The play is also on youtube: https:// the Jane Collective to better control costs and www.youtube.com/watch?v=EigEXNSX-x0&f offer abortions on a sliding scale. Throughout the bclid=IwAR2Sc1Napl97Y6eVbHxfb6LE1VPn8 four years of its operation, the group performed oj_ The website also points to current obstacles around 11,000 abortions—entirely without that the reproductive justice movement faces, a fatalities. In 1972, police arrested seven Jane particularly salient point as access to abortion is members after raiding the apartment where they severely curtailed during the Covid-19-crisis. operated. However, before the case went to trial, “While learning about the importance of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision affective bonds in feminist activism, we were also legalized abortion and all charges were dropped. able to build and strengthen our own mutual The story of Jane continues to offer many lessons bonds of affection and thus expand our academic for thinking about abortion politics, reproductive and activist horizons,” says Elissa Asch ’23.5, who justice, and women’s liberation—and these acted in the play. lessons are shared in Paula Kamen’s play Jane: For editing the script, holding auditions, Abortion and the Underground. casting, and directing (without any previous As part of their coursework, students produced directing experience) and her incredible ability a website that provides a historical background of to create a community of people, Taite Shomo the abortion movement and the play: (www. garnered the 2020 SGA Award for Extraordinary teachingthejanecollective.com). Readers will also Initiative. 4 WIKIPEDIA EDIT-A-THON FOR INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY Every year, the activist highlighting the work of Ieshia document, inserting feminist group Art + Feminism stages L.Evans, now well-known in concerns into the Japanese wiki a campaign to add feminist the iconic photograph in which page. knowledge to Wikipedia. This she stands up to state Students created their year, students in Hemangini troopers in a protest Wikipedia interventions Gupta’s class “Feminist against the killing of with the able assistance of Foundations” added new Alton Sterling, found Middlebury College's Associate Wikipedia pages or edited her Wiki entry rejected. Provost for Digital Learning, existing ones to critically The comment stated Amy Collier. Through the intervene in how questions that there was not enough session, they grappled with of gender and sexuality are evidence to warrant Evans what it means to write represented on the Internet. deserved her own Wiki page. "objectively," reflected on One group who added a page A student group amended what kinds of knowledge are highlighting the research the entry of a well– deemed worthy of a Wiki entry, of Mexican–American known donor and immersed themselves in historian Cynthia E. to Middlebury translation—between Orozco are now in College, adding Spanish and English, contact with her—she the often– Japanese and English, had always wanted her concealed but also between own Wiki page and allegations of his feminist and queer theory is delighted to find involvement in sexual and a platform that demanded herself represented in harassment. Yet another apolitical "facts." https://www. one! Another student translated from a Japanese legal artandfeminism.org/ theory beyond Feminist or Queer issues. They ultimately decided FEMINIST Studies. By reading a variety of to frame the seminar around four articles, participants from Religion, themes: affect, feminist and queer PEDAGOGY Anthropology, Luso-Hispanic geographies, science and technology WORKSHOP Studies, Black Studies, Creative studies, and the question of method. Writing, English and American In a moment in which Feminist DURING J-TERM Literatures, and Linguistics reflected and Queer Studies scholars are on how these readings and related reflecting on questions of “use” conversations are informing their and the lessons we can gain from Thanks to funds provided by Art thinking and teaching more broadly. critically reflecting on our objects Gensler, GSFS professors Hemangini One participant, for example, noted and the affects attached to them, Gupta and Carly Thomsen co- that Mel Chen’s work on agitation, seminar participants are crafting organized and facilitated a J-term which we read in our seminar, has short essays reflecting on how these seminar on contemporary feminist transformed her work on zombies. conversations are “useful” more and queer theory for eight faculty In choosing the readings, Professors broadly. Gupta and Thomsen are in colleagues primarily located outside Gupta and Thomsen archived the process of threading these essays of Gender Studies. Following Sara and analyzed all special issues of together into one collective article, Ahmed’s formulation of “use,” the Feminist and Queer Studies journals which we hope will be published in seminar centered on the question published in the last few years, a Feminist Studies journal. of the “use” of feminist and queer noting themes that cut across the 5 female official of the National Union of Public Employees and L. A. Theatre the first female President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. Next, we meet Farida Azizi, played by Laila Ayad, who was Works Presents born in Kabul, Afghanistan, but had to flee to a refugee camp in Pakistan after the Soviet invasion. As a young SEVEN woman, Azizi sought out opportunities to help others in similar situations. Unlike BY ANNIE BLALOCK ’20.5 male healthcare workers, Azizi was permitted into Taliban- On March 3 and 4, 2020, moment when the protagonists controlled Afghanistan to L.A. Theatre Works presented are confronted with social provide medical treatment for a performance of SEVEN at expectations enforced by women. As a result, she came to Wright Memorial Theatre. patriarchal systems but find support women’s medical and The production of this play themselves in a unique position educational programs in the was initiated by Liza Sacheli, to fight for justice. SEVEN country, which she does to this Director of the Mahaney Center expertly weaves anecdotes from day. for the Arts. The play was each character together into a From Russia, we meet Marina commissioned by Vital Voices, single tapestry. Pisklakova-Parker, played an organization that invests in The first character to by Shannon Holt. Almost women leaders who are solving introduce herself is Inez immediately after appearing the world’s greatest challenges. McCormack—played by Ellis on stage, Holt as Pisklakova- In 2006, Vital Voices connected Greer—from seven female playwrights (Carol Northern K. Mack, Anna Deavere Smith, Ireland. Paula Cizmar, Catherine Filloux, Greer, playing Gail Kriegel, Ruth Margraff, and McCormack, Susan Yankowitz) with seven opened the extraordinary female-identified show with leaders to tell their life stories. a bouncing The production consisted of a Irish accent minimalist set with only seven and began microphones spaced over two telling the risers. The show opens with audience about seven women walking to their her sheltered respective microphone, inviting Protestant the audience into the lives upbringing in of their characters through the midst of a Above: Wengel Kifle ‘20 with Maritxell Carrero, intimate stories. These stories stark political Laila Ayad, and Lovlee Carroll, members of the relate confrontations with and religious cast of SEVEN. violence and oppression, while divide. She simultaneously channeling came to marry Parker picks up a ringing the love and compassion each a Catholic and started attending telephone, the only prop on woman found within herself to protests eventually attacked by stage, and begins comforting work for others. loyalists. Inez McCormack went a distressed woman who has Each story includes a on to become the first full-time 6 been beaten by her husband. Pisklakova-Parker navigated legal labyrinths to advocate for those explains how she began supporting women who without her skills and to put those abusing power were experiencing violence at the hands of their in their place. husbands. At the time, Russia lacked a vocabulary We travel from Guatemala to the U.S. to for domestic violence because it was deemed a meet Hafsat Abiola, played by Sarah Hollis. private matter. When answering the phone, Holt Hollis as Abiola describes a moment in her perfectly articulates the struggle to discuss a topic student days at Harvard when she encounters such as domestic violence within the cultural a protest against the wrongful imprisonment of and linguistic bounds of Russian. Confronting Nigerian president-elect, Moshood Abiola. When this matter head-on, Marina Piskalkova-Parker organizers of the protest approach her asking founded the first hotline to help victims of for her support, she informs them that Moshood domestic violence in Russia in 1993 which has Abiola is her father. Hollis as Abiola explains how grown into a coalition of crisis centers called this event sparked her lifelong activism fighting Center ANNA. for human and civil rights around the globe. She Mu Shochua, played by Tess Lina, works with shares stories about the founding of the Kudirat survivors of sex trafficking in Cambodia and Initiative for Democracy, which provides skill- Thailand. Lina as Shochua spoke with great training and leadership opportunities for young compassion about the women she helps. The women throughout Nigeria. Middlebury auditorium was transformed as she And finally, SEVEN tells the story of Mukhtar began to speak about her work, the violence Mai, played by Lovlee Carroll, a young woman women face in sex trafficking and the barriers from Pakistan who was used as a pawn in an they encounter when they escape. honor revenge gang rape. Carroll as Mai breathes Next, we meet Anabella De Leon, played by devastation and determination into this story of Maritxell Carrero, who wears a smart business triumph as she chronicles Mai’s life or death fight suit and stands with her arms crossed and against normative gender roles and expectations. shoulders back. Carrero’s portrayal of De Leon In the end, Mai received justice against her perfectly embodies the “strictly-business” success attackers. She continues to work tirelessly for the of this human rights lawyer. Switching in and education of women in her country. out of Spanish, Carrero tells stories of De Leon’s SEVEN presents an unmatched method of Guatemalan upbringing and how—against village storytelling that did justice to the life experiences norms—she finished her education and received and achievements of these seven women. As an a law degree. Growing up in poverty furnished added bonus, two of the actors visited Cheryl De Leon with a passion to fight for human rights. Faraone’s “Contemporary Women Playwrights” Using the privilege of her law degree and newly class to talk about their creative process. found socioeconomic status, De Leon personally Above: Cast members from SEVEN, Lovlee Carroll and Tess Lina, visiting Cheryl Faraone’s “Theater and Social Change” class. 7 breaking of bread and the serving of jamaica and yuca to audience members. The incorporation of food was an integral part of the sisters’ performance as it fostered a warm and inviting environment. Members of the audience were encouraged to partake in the distribution and cooking of the food which added to the warm ambiance. In creating this welcoming climate, the sisters Above: Sisters Michel (left) and Lydela de Nonó, photo courtesy of the were able to discuss difficult Ford Foundation. issues in an inclusive way. Puerto Rico’s relationship with food is political because Las Nietas insecure food supplies and lack of access to food sources impact the daily lives of Puerto Ricans year round. Therefore, the presence of food as a central de Nonó character in the performance transcended a simple fostering of community and served as a reminder of how public access to food can drive change and bring people together. As the performance By Ariana Rios ’21 and transitioned, Michel continued Christian Kummer ’22 cooking and Lydela began walking around the space with a plant. Michel requested On February 22nd, Las Nietas de Nonó visited Middlebury College and utilized a live performance installation in Coltrane Lounge to bring awareness to systemic issues in Puerto Rico that are often rendered invisible due to the territory’s detachment from the coastal United States. As students entered the performance space, sisters Lydela and Michel de Nonó continued cooking food and listening to music; the space immediately felt intimate. The event began with the Above: Lydela de Nonó performing at Middlebury, photo courtesy of the Middlebury Campus (Shirley Mao). 8 that the audience “hagan the prioritization of the plant they acknowledge the influence espacio para la planta” (or, may have also called for the of previous generations in English, make room for recognition of how humans of activists, establishing a the plant) and proceeded need to disrupt their daily connection with the ancestors to walk around the room, lives to fight for climate justice forms an integral part of their forcing audience members to that will inherently protect the work. Understanding this continuously move their chairs future of all species on earth. history centers Las Nietas’ art and belongings to make space As if foreshadowing in a historical moment that has for the plant. This interruption the Corona crisis, Lydela been created by prior years of of the audience’s space served transitioned from walking community building. as a possible metaphor for around the room with the plant At the end of their how environmental injustice to travelling with a mask in her performance, Las Nietas de can displace people from the raised hands. The wearing of Nonó presented a brief clip of communities in which they feel the coconut and maracas mask one of their shows, in which comfortable. Using a different represented a call to their Afro- they focus on storytelling to lens to analyze this scene, Puerto Rican ancestors. As bring awareness to injustices that people have faced in Puerto Rico—forced sterilization, food insecurity, and the prison industrial complex—all at the hands of the U.S. government. After showcasing a part of their work, they explained how difficult it was for them to break into the live performance business. They did not have access to the funding needed to provide props, actors, lighting, advertising, and the physical space where they put on the show. To work around this struggle, Las Nietas de Nonó presented their first shows in their families’ living rooms and eventually expanded into the public sphere. The sisters have labored to create their art together and are continuing to bring awareness and call people to action to address the issues impacting the people of Puerto Above: Lydela de Nonó performing at Middlebury, photo courtesy of the Rico. Middlebury Campus (Shirley Mao). 9 turning it into a more “feminine” movement. Politicians such as Alice Weidel of the Alternative Gender and for Germany (AfD) and Marine Le Pen of the National Rally party exemplify the feminization of right-wing populism. Dr. Morgan argued Right-Wing that this feminization was not orchestrated to attract feminist or LGBTQ+ voters, but rather constitutes an attempt to mainstream former fringe parties and their anti-immigration and Populism Islamophobic ideology. After presenting her thesis, Dr. Morgan outlined the historical background of Western in Western European politics and social movements from 1945 to 1975, which Dr. Morgan called the “golden age of the welfare state.” During this time, male breadwinners abounded and religious Europe observance was strict. Trade unions were strong and only few women were found in the workplace, which perpetuated traditional gender roles. As anti-LGBTQ+ laws were in force until A TALK BY the 1990s, a concomitant representation was absent from politics. DR. KIMBERLY MORGAN However, the 1970s brought about social change—a decline in religious practice, an BY ANNIE BLALOCK ‘20.5 increase in women’s employment, and, aided by quota laws, in female parliamentary On March 2, 2020, Dr. Kimberly Morgan, a representation. The radical populist right professor of political science and international emerged in the 1980s and got its start by affairs at George Washington University, gave appealing to people’s sense of national identity. a talk titled “Gender and the Mainstreaming To this day, the parties welcome voters who of Right-Wing Populism in Western Europe.” remain conservative on issues of women’s and Dr. Morgan described how countries in this LGBTQ+ rights and immigration. Dr. Morgan region have consistently achieved high scores for referenced Jean-Marie Le Pen, the former leader promoting gender of French National Front, who represents a equality and far-right, Catholic milieu and who compares LGBTQ+ rights, abortion to genocide. The populist right is a according to platform predominately supported by men and the World those with the least progressive views on women Economic and LGBTQ+ issues. Over the last few years, this Forum. population is actually declining, however, and the The conservative supporter base for the populist right popularity is becoming less conservative. of these In response to this social shift, the far-right has socially strategically mainstreamed its political trajectory progressive to gain leverage without fundamentally changing ideas has its base. The party signals its social acceptability shifted the surface by operating within the bounds of a national appearance of right- normative consensus and defending femininity, Above: French far-right politican Marine Le Pen, wing populism in not feminism, to attack issues of immigration. photo courtesy of the Western Europe, One case study presented by Dr. Morgan Telegraph. 10 focused on the gendered attacks on Muslim immigrants in France Left: in the 2000s. Previously, the German far-right politician Alice Weidel, photo courtesy of government acted indifferently Wikimedia Commons. toward minority women, but the headscarf became a Dr. Morgan summarized symbol of fundamentalism that these parties only and the melding of church discuss women’s and and state. Throughout LGBTQ+ rights in the Western Europe, right- context of debates wing populist parties over immigration, as have insisted that a ban demonstrated in France. on headscarves would The tactics of right-wing actually protect Muslim populists to nominate women from barbaric women as party leaders husbands and misogynistic exemplifies the utilization of fathers who use Islam as an femininity for political appeal excuse to oppress women. By as a signal of acceptable social painting Islamophobia as gender progress. This reframing of equality for their political gain, generally traditional conservative right-wing populist parties pursue the views has increased the popularity of right-wing same xenophobic goals, albeit with new, more populism in Western Europe. socially acceptable motivations and tactics. Above: Supporters of France’s far-right party National Rally, photo courtesy of Reuters.